


Us in Italics

by woolfverse



Series: Woolfverse [11]
Category: Temeraire - Novik
Genre: 1990s, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Character of Color, Coming Out, Conversation, Dinner, LGBTQ Character, M/M, planning
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2010-02-27
Updated: 2010-02-27
Packaged: 2017-10-07 14:34:41
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 548
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/66078
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/woolfverse/pseuds/woolfverse
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Will invites Tharkay to Christmas with his family.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Us in Italics

Tharkay knocked, already shuffling in his coat (perfect for cold weather, horrible and far too warm once he walked into the apartment complex), when Will opened the door. It was immediately evident that he was not in high spirits, but as this was something not best discussed in the hallway, Tharkay leaned into a quick kiss before walking in and out of the cold.

Temeraire was at a friend's ("Yes, she is Turkish..." Will frowned, looking somewhat distracted, "I did not know _you_ knew Turkish, Tharkay."), but had kindly thrown together a rice plate and some egg soup, to compensate for Will's inability to cook anything that had not come from a box. Thus, they were left pleasantly alone and somewhat comfortable before a lull in conversation enabled Tharkay to ask, "Are you planning on telling me what's wrong?"

Will, who had been staring into his water glass as if it were about to reveal secrets of the universe to him at any moment, looked up with a start. "Ah- Is there something wrong?" Tharkay thought he sounded rather pleading.

"You have been distracted all night." Tharkay poked at a water chestnut in his bowl, averting his eyes for Will to look stricken or embarrassed in peace.

"I..." Will let out a sigh, and then chuckled to himself, quiet, prompting Tharkay to look up again; Will was smiling, however faint. "I did not know I was so transparent."

"You usually are."

Will laughed again, still light and this time more of a chuckle. He signed and put down his fork (he had no skill or understanding with chopsticks, and Temeraire had eventually given up attempting to teach him their proper use), massaging the bridge of his nose, before looking up to say, "Christmas is coming up. Would you accompany me to my parent's, in Nottinghamshire, or do you have plans?"

Tharkay paused from eating for a moment, unsure whether to feel suddenly incredibly warm or cold. "I do not presently have any plans, no, but your parents..." Tharkay gestured vaguely in the air, not really intending to make any sense; he was quite sure Will knew exactly what was going unsaid.

"I plan to..." Will shook his head. "I will tell them about you--_ us_\-- regardless of whether you go with me or not. In the next two weeks, I should imagine." And now Will was the one looking down.

Tharkay decided warm was the correct way to feel about this, reservations be damned. He took another bite of food in the silence and sat back, feeling welcome despite Will's obvious discomfort, and rather well fed. It would be all right. "I would like to go, and meet your family, if you don't mind my tagging along."

Will looked up, now smiling. "I don't."

•

  
Later in the night, Will's head nestled comfortingly in the crook of Tharkay's shoulder, he put forth the reminder: "You realize this means you will have to spend some notable hours with Temeraire, on the way there. Car rules state he gets a third of the time in control of the radio."

After a moment of deliberation, Tharkay said into the air, "We are taking my car; QED, different rules."

He could feel the smile on Will's face, pressing now into his collar bone.

**Author's Note:**

> Set in 1998. This is the second part of a specific five-part story arc; the related stories are directly before and after it.


End file.
